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Metal Cans by Japanese Atelier SyuRo

With the holidays arriving in next to no time, it’s been hectic here in the office. We’ve had some big boxes take over the floor space and have re-stocked various items in the shop. I think I’ll be glued to my camera over the next month, hoping to catch any sort of daylight that appears so I can convey these in the best way possible. Now that the weather has turned sour here in the UK it’s hard to capture them in the way that I want, or as you might see them in everyday life.

A popular selection of goods are the SyuRo handmade brass and copper cans made to mellow with age, just like antiques, and blend into a modern lifestyle. The good folk at SyuRo headed to a traditional can plant in the lower part of Tokyo, who could produce their designs in a variety of metals, tin plate, brass and copper. The artisans make them by hand, using a precise method of crafting where they bend the metal, hammering the joins, then the main body comes to fruition. Scuffing and buffing on the vessel is all done by hand, this gives the metal a stunning matte finish but leaves plenty of room for character. It also makes you feel closer to the craftsmen via the little marks and scratches left here and there.

I’m hoping soon to take some photographs of these objects being used, as I own a set myself and store a variety of goods inside. One of the main uses is to store tea and coffee, like a traditional tea caddy, but I’ve also used mine for other things like snacks, stationary, or anything that needs to be kept dry and safe. I had the chance to take pictures of the selection last month, and I’m sure you’ll appreciate these small works of art. Although pretty on the eye they’re also extremely functional and are perfect as a gift. The metal is sure to mature with age, the more you use it the better they will look.